Children and Cats How to peacefully co-exist
Mar 22 '04
The Bottom Line A cat is a marvelous pet to have around.
I can remember seeing a picture of my father as a little boy holding up 3 cats in his church outfit back in the early 1950s. It is the most adorable treasure! Imagine my enjoyment when, half a century later, my son strikes the same pose with our litter of lovelies! We have always been a family that enjoys pets of the feline persuasion, but it can be daunting at times. If you are considering a family pet and have a small child, let me share my experience with you.
My son has always loved kittens in the pet store, so for Christmas Santa brought him a stuffed kitten for his stocking. He instantly fell in love with "Spice" and it became as familiar a sight as his beloved Blankie. Now, there were 2 things we had to keep up with daily, so there are no meltdowns at 9 p.m. nightly.
After mastering this last task, I got the bright idea that my son needs a real pet. At the time, we wanted another baby, so wouldn't a pet help my child to learn to be loving and gentle towards something little? Sure! That was before I told him to put the cat out and he stands at the top of the garage stairs and tosses! Lesson 1: Be more specific about how you want the cat put out.
I'm getting ahead of myself. We searched for the kitten at animal shelters and the humane society and believe it or not, were unsuccessful. We finally found a lady whose cat had a litter and we got one from her. Seeing two suckers, she let the cat go with us, assuring us that the kitten was little for 6 weeks, but she was indeed weaned and ready to go. When we got home, we didn't understand why this cat used our bed and the floor as a toilet when I all but followed her around with the litter box. I even locked her up in the utility closet with it at night! We found out when we took her for her first vet visit that she was probably not 6 weeks old, so Lesson 2 is: Do some research to educate yourself.
Lesson #3 that I've learned the hard way is that female cats get pregnant. My vet figured that my cat was maybe 4-6 months old when she got "in the family way." We were amazed, and a little disheartened, but Ty was ecstatic! My cat gave birth to her three adorable kittens with my son in the room, retching! It was really hilarious, in retrospect. My grandparents called in the middle of it all and wanted to talk to Ty. From my end I hear him say "Yes, they are coming right out of her privacy!" It was such a great experience and Ty has gotten more enjoyment out of those kittens than from any single toy he has ever owned. But how do I unload these cats? In the end we keep one and give two to friends, making sure they are completely WEANED!
If you still aren't sure you want a cat, read on. You need to make sure every person in the house is a cat person! Not everyone appreciates their independence (read "moodiness"). I myself enjoy an animal that does not require my assistance to walk it or use the bathroom.
Pets are expensive. You should take your kitten to the vet when you get her to get a clean bill of health, then again at 3 months to start the rabies shots. You will also need to get your cat spayed or neutered when they turn 6 months old, unless you want a litter of kittens. Also to consider, cats are a pretty big commitment. You can bank on a healthy cat living as long as 15 years, on average.
There are just a few other things to remember when deciding if a cat is the right pet for you and your family. While cats are not generally aggressive, they do bite or scratch occasionally. If your child happens to get bitten or scratched, make sure you wash the wound thoroughly and disinfect it.
Another worry around young children is the litter box. When I was little, we didn't have an inside cat, but the outside cats used the sandbox like a litter box, unbeknownst to us. Before long, my sister had a nasty case of Impetigo. Not pretty. Keep the litter box safely away from exploring babies and toddlers and the sandbox covered tightly to prevent entry while no one is playing.
Also, if like us, a baby is a concern you will need to keep the cat out of the nursery. We've all heard the myth that cat's steal infant's breath, but this is not true, exactly. What they might do is sit on top of the baby to smother it. While this possibility is remote (my own cat stayed far away from the scream box) it is still possible, so take the necessary precaution.
For us, a cat was the natural answer to the pet question. My son has learned to be gentle with small creatures, but even better than that is his laugh when he drags a string around the living room for the cats to chase. I've made quite a few wrong turns on this road to parenthood, but this is one destination that turned out great!
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